


You've Begun to Feel Like Home

by austensfate



Category: Lost
Genre: Angst, DHARMA Initiative, F/M, Hook-Up, Kate Austen (mention), One Night Stands, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-16
Updated: 2021-02-16
Packaged: 2021-03-18 03:54:59
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,171
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29483295
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/austensfate/pseuds/austensfate
Summary: The two weeks that turned into three years, that changed James into LaFleur, that turned villian into hero, that turned two broken hearts into a soul, that brought two people together.
Relationships: Juliet Burke/James "Sawyer" Ford
Kudos: 5





	You've Begun to Feel Like Home

It was that damn party. 

Every year, Horace hosted a party for everyone living in Dharmaville. It was the anniversary of the founding of the Dharma Initiative. 

Sawyer threw on a deep blue button up shirt, leaving a few buttons unbuttoned. He slipped on his brown flip flops and combed through his hair. He looked at himself in the small mirror in his one-bedroom house. He didn’t know why he was going. Here he was, stuck in the past, and instead of going back home, he was being dragged off to another party. He had been living in the 1970’s for about a year now. Ever since Juliet, Jin, Miles, and Daniel had been held up here. They all wanted to go back to 2004, but the truth was, they couldn’t. And they had settled down nicely here. They’ve made friends, gotten jobs, and found purpose for their new life. 

He was getting to go just as he heard a whimper in the other room. He straightened out his shirt. A cream-colored golden retriever was looking up at him, whimpering. Sawyer looked at the clock. “Here’s a treat, I’ll be back soon.” He leaned down and pet the dog before hurrying out the door.

As Sawyer walked through the doors of the main hall, he surveyed the room. He was clearly underdressed. He didn’t remember it being this fancy last year. He walked over to the bar. “Tequila, please.” He said to the bartender. He sat at the bar with his drink in his hand. He looked around. There were about 100 people in the room, but he couldn’t find any of his friends. 

He admitted, he was lonely. He hadn’t made any new friends like the others had. Juliet had Amy, Miles had his father and Horace, Daniel talked to Phil, and Jin mostly talked to some guy named Dan. Maybe it was because he didn’t want to accept the fact that he had to leave his past life behind. And he was never going to go back. He looked at his again empty glass, passing it back to the bartender. He held his face in his hand as he felt a presence next to him. He turned to his left, seeing Juliet. Her hair was pinned back, her bangs curled. She was wearing a black cinched dress, with nude heels. “Hello, James.” She grinned at him. He didn’t know why, but he felt happier with her here. “Hey.” He whispered. He heard Juliet order her drink, a glass of red wine, and she sat up and started to walk away, then she stopped and turned around. She slipped back into the stool next to him. 

Juliet had a burning feeling Sawyer wouldn’t go to the party. This time of year, he was always down. Maybe it was because it was the months, they had first gotten stuck on the island. She knew he definitely didn’t like being stuck in the 70’s. But she knows he didn’t hate it. He had been assigned head of security, a very high-end position in the Dharma Initiative. Much better than the motor pool. She slipped on her dress and made her way to the party. 

She walked through the doors and looked around. Amy wasn’t there yet, and neither were the rest of her friends. She decided to head over to the bar to get a drink. As she weaved throughout people, she could see a figure sitting alone at the bar. She instantly knew it was James. She sat down next to him. He was holding his face in his hands. She looked at him confused but realized he had just finished his third glass of whiskey, so he must have been drowsy. She greeted him and he greeted her back. She didn’t want to disturb him, so she got up, then paused. She hated seeing him like this, so alone. She walked back over and sat down.

“How are you?” the blonde asked him. He lifted up his head. “Just peachy.” Juliet hated when he was like this. It was rare ever seeing Sawyer sad, but she had realized it had become more frequent ever since they arrived in the 70’s. She understood. He missed his old life. And so did she. She missed the others. Jack, Kate, Hurley. She was sure he missed them too. Especially Kate. She had never brought up the subject, because she was terrible with relationships, but she knew leaving her behind had taken a toll on him. 

“Do you want to talk about it?” She whispered. Sawyer felt her lean in closer. “Not really.” He said brushing her off. Juliet had to admit, she was hurt by that. Sawyer had always confided in her when something relevant happened in his life. She realized she was the one he always went to. She was about to get up from the chair when she heard Sawyer murmur something. “What?” she said. “I said it has been more than a year we’ve been here.” He whispered. “On this goddamn island which no one knows exists.” He is fidgeting with his glass in his hands, and Juliet takes a seat back down. “Oh, I didn’t realize.” “Well of course ya didn’t realize, you’re all Ms. Florida Barbie. Everyone wants to be ‘round you.” She bit on her lip. “Is that what this is about, James? You don’t have any friends?” She tried to say seriously, but in the end, she managed to stifle out a laugh. He glared at her. “Sorry. It’s just funny how the roles have reversed that’s all. How I was known as an “other” and nobody trusted me.” Sawyer smiled softly. “I guess so. But it’s not even that. It’s just that I regret staying here. I shoulda left on that sub a year ago.” She closed her eyes, as she recalled the memory on the dock.

“Come on, three weeks, that’s all I’m asking.” She giggled. “Last I remember, you were the one that asked me to stay.” She playfully pushed him. “What is this really about?” He sat up and looked directly in her eyes. There was no doubt she was beautiful. Her golden hair and piercing blue eyes. Her radiant smile that lit up the room. He felt like he could be honest with her, now more than ever. “Nah, you don’t want to hear my pity story.” He looked back over at the expectant blonde. “Ya gotta stop looking at me like that.” He shook his head. There was something about her. Her attitude. Her. He felt like he could trust her. Be vulnerable with her. 

“I never got to apologize. Or say goodbye.” He couldn’t finish his sentence, but Juliet knew exactly who he was talking about. Kate. “One minute, we were on the chopper, going home. And the next, I was swimming in the ocean, back to this island.” Juliet sighed, and set down her glass. “What else did you want to say? To Kate?” Sawyer sat up. “I should’ve explained. But there was no time. If one of us hadn’t jumped off, none of us would have made it.” Juliet showed a small, almost unnoticeable smile. “James, she knows. She knows why you did this. To save them. To save her.” With those words, Sawyer turned over to her. She leaned over and hugged him, and almost tipped over. “Woah.” He exclaimed as he caught her. “Sorry, too much wine.” She said as she straightened out her dress. She leaned in front of James to hand her glass to the bartender. “Another one?” He said concernedly. “Just get me my wine.” She blurted out. Sawyer chuckled, as he admired the strong side of her, which he thought had gone away ever since they went back in time. 

He could smell her perfume on her neck. Lavender. No. Rose maybe? She sat back down with her wine. “Sorry.” She guiltily said. “Was that mean?” He smiled. “No, that was just right. Just like the Juliet Burke I know would do.” She smiled a dopey, drunk smile at him, and giggled. “Do you think I’ve changed? You know, since we,” she leaned in closely and whispered in his ear. “Went back in time?” He laughed. “You don’t have to be so secretive. And to answer your question, no, you haven’t changed that much, but you have become nicer.” She playfully punched him. “Ouch.” He spoke. “What was that for?” Juliet’s eyes twinkled as she beamed at him. “For thinking I was mean, La Fleur.” Sawyer smiled, revealing his dimples. “I didn’t say you were mean, just not as badass.” He flirted as he carried out the last word. Juliet took a sip of her wine. 

“Well, maybe you are right. I have become soft, haven’t I?” “A little.” He chuckled. “You even garden now.” Juliet’s head bolted up and a smile appeared on her face. “Hey, don’t make fun of my garden. I tried very hard on it.” He said in a matter-of-fact tone. “It’s quite badass.” He didn’t know what it was, but hearing Juliet saying that was hot. He never had been attracted to her, they had always been compatible partners when venturing off into the jungle together, but he never saw her in that way. Until tonight. Sitting here at the bar. With her. The fact she chose to sit with him, instead of enjoying the party. Her luscious, curled hair and dark red lips. Her intoxicating perfume and the little touches she gave him. They had continued to talk about their life before Dharmaville and before the island. It first started as her hand on his, then his hand on her leg, trailing up her thigh. It was her giggly seductive comments she whispered in his ear. It was his playful, mischievous smile, that caused him to say, “Lets get out of here.” Before she knew it, Sawyer was leading her into his house. 

As soon as they entered the front door, his lips crashed on hers as he pushed her against his front door. His hands ran up her legs and her back, fidgeting with her zipper. Sawyer deepened the kiss and Juliet’s head fell back as she moaned. Her lips were swollen from the rough kisses, and her hair was disheveled. She looked into his eyes, and within that second, there lips found each other’s again. Sawyer had given up on the zipper, and lifted her up, as he carried her into the bedroom. He playfully tossed her onto the bed, giggling when her back hit the mattress. Sawyer hovered over her, his shirt already off. Juliet wiggled out of her dress as Sawyer kissed her passionately. All he could think about was her. This moment. Right here. His mind was clear of everything else. The island, Dharmaville, even Kate. All that mattered was he was here now, with Juliet. 

Their bodies fit together perfectly. They were like pieces of a puzzle finally coming together. They moved in sync, occasionally breaking their lips, and coming up for air. They looked in each other’s eyes. Not knowing what the other wanted. A game of mystery. But all that they knew, was that they were both here. And they were never going anywhere. 

Finally, Sawyer fell to the right side of the bed, next to Juliet, who was still panting. He looked up at the ceiling, still laid in a heap of sweaty, tangled limbs. Juliet’s breathing slowed, and she was quiet. He turned over and closed his eyes, the last thing he remembered was looking over to see a sleeping Juliet in his bed. 

\--

He woke up to an emptiness in the bed. He moved his arm to where Juliet used to lay, a coldness filled inside of him. All of a sudden, he heard Pluto bark and he quickly got up, seeing Juliet bending down, trying to calm the dog. He looked at her, with pain in his eyes. She was completely dressed and holding her purse. She was leaving. Juliet shushed the dog. “Come on, don’t wake up Sawyer, let’s go outside.” She set down her bag and heels and ran outside with the golden. He smiled. Maybe she wasn’t. 

He put on a cup of coffee and waited for her to come back inside to retrieve her bag. He poured two coffee mugs and brought them over to the table as the front door swung open. The blonde was giggling as she let the dog inside. She looked up and stood frozen. “Oh, James, I didn’t know you would be here.” He creased his brows. “I live here.” “Oh yeah, well, I was just leaving.” He set down the coffee and slowly walked over to her. He put his arms on her shoulders. “Where are you going, Juliet?” She picked up her bag, not making eye contact. “This was a mistake.” He felt a quick pain in his heart. “What is?” Juliet looked up at him, tears welling in her eyes. 

“Us.”


End file.
